


A Fine Thing To Be

by aesarctic, em_gray



Category: The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue Series - Mackenzi Lee
Genre: Gen, Sibling Love, Siblings, it's just a rewrite of a scene from Monty's POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-02
Updated: 2019-08-02
Packaged: 2020-07-29 13:00:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20082616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aesarctic/pseuds/aesarctic, https://archiveofourown.org/users/em_gray/pseuds/em_gray
Summary: Lady's Guide to Vice and Virtue spoilers.....A re-write of the scene where Monty comes in and saves Felicity and Johanna, but this time in Monty's POV





	A Fine Thing To Be

I stand at the front of the house, waiting for the door to be answered. Months of searching led up to this moment, and I pray that this is the right place, that Felicity is inside this house, and I can swoop in to rescue her like the charming older brother she loves, whether she admits it or not.  
  
The door swings open, and I am face to face with a tall and sunburnt fellow. He clearly doesn’t suspect a thing, for he smiles politely at me and says: “Good afternoon, sir. You must be captain Boswell.”  
  
“Indeed I am.” I try to peer around him, but he is blocking the view of the interior of the house. I reach out my hand and he grasps it in a firm shake. “And you are?”  
  
“Stafford, sir. Come right in.” Stafford sidesteps, letting me enter. I take a brief glance around the not-so-modest quarters, but am quickly distracted by voices up ahead.  
  
“...have not saved anyone!” someone says. It’s low, but I’d know that voice anywhere. Never before in my life could I have thought hearing it would bring me so much relief. “Not me, not Johanna, not yourself,” my sister states. Every step I take is a step closer to Felicity. My heart is beating fast, all the anticipation I’ve built up over the past few months reaching its peak. It makes me want to rush in, but I keep my pace steady.  
  
A tired voice I don’t recognize speaks. “You don’t understand.”  
  
I step into the doorway of the parlor, and immediately pick out out my sister. She seems alright, but it’s hard to tell from where I’m standing. Her back is to me, and she’s sitting with someone that looks vaguely familiar. It takes a second, but I realize that this must be Johanna Hoffman. I don’t remember much of her, just her rather dramatic quarrel with Felicity and her old habit of making googly eyes at Percy. I haven’t seen her in years, and I have to admit she’s become quite the lovely figure.  
  
“Neither do you!” Felicity replies sharply. It brings me back to the situation. “At least I know enough not to delude myself into thinking imprisonment is a kindness.”  
  
“Imprisonment?” I can’t help making a bit of a scene as I announce my presence. “That’s very dramatic. Will she make this much of a theater about everything?”  
  
I saunter inside, doing my very best to avoid eye contact with my sister, though I notice her straightening at the sound of my voice before turning to look at me eyes wide and gaping.  
  
The commander begins to make introductions, and I introduce myself as well. “Captain James Boswell, a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” I shake his hand and begin to discuss payment, making a fuss about what’s paid up front as if we’ll ever receive the latter half. It’s all formalities and I know I can’t hurry them along without looking suspicious, but it’s hard to not turn myself around and fling my arms around Felicity.  
  
It feels like a lifetime has passed before everything is in order, and I finally turn to get a good look at my sister, taking in all that the past months have done to her. I can see more bones and her dress is torn, mirroring what she looked like on the adventure of a tour we took the previous year. Her hair resembles a bird’s nest more than a braid. Percy might be sent into shock at the sight.  
  
And of course she’s grinning through all of that. A few years ago, I would never see a look like that on her face--especially directed at me. But now, here I am, wishing I could return it. I realize that all of the relief I’ve been feeling isn’t because of the long, long journey coming to an end, but because I have been so anxious over my sister, that seeing her again is flooding me with emotions I never knew I could feel towards her. I can’t return her grin, so I go for the next best thing a brother can do after being reunited with his little sister: I go for a little mockery.  
  
“How much trouble can I expect?” I speak to Platt, cocking my head slightly towards him, though not taking my eyes off Felicity. “They look contrary.”  
  
“No trouble,” Platt replies, his voice a warning directed at the two girls.  
  
I point at Felicity, and keeping my face straight costs me inhumane effort. I’m enjoying this, I’ll admit it. “That one’s got a squint like she reads too many books.”  
  
I can feel how much she wants to roll her eyes at me; it’s radiating off of her in waves. It’s almost entertaining.  
  
Stafford continues, “Feel free to use any restraint you see fit. And upon the delivery of this letter--” I take the parchment that’s being handed to me, restraining from scowling at it-- “you can expect sufficient compensation from her father.”  
  
The words almost sway me. I should have been expecting them, as we were talking about payments only moments before. I smile at him, pretending that any sort of exchange with my father would be a wonderful prize.  
  
As Stafford and myself guide the girls toward the docks, I briefly entertain the childish idea of pushing Felicity into the water, purely to take vengeance for what had transpired in London. But I can’t, so I simply lean in, and murmur as quietly as I can: “Dear sister, look what you get yourself into when I’m not around.”  
  
I can’t help it. Every reprimanding look or snide comment she gave me whenever I messed up comes to mind, and I thoroughly enjoy not being the cause of anyone getting in trouble for once in my life.  
  
“Dear brother,” she replies, “I have never been gladder to see you.”  
  
I wasn’t expecting that--I was preparing myself for a snarky reply or at the very least an eye roll. I spare a glance at her, wondering what exactly she went through. Could it be worse than what I was imagining? Than what she was letting on? The ideas start to form a rock in my stomach. The amount of concern I had stored up surprises me yet again. Perhaps I do have it in me to be somewhat of a decent older brother.  
  
I had only jokingly agreed before, but Felicity was right. Love has truly made me soft.  
  
The _Eleftheria_ comes into view, and I hear Felicity’s breath release as her shoulders slump slightly. I let her go and exchange my last formalities with Stafford, shaking his hand with my own that I shall need to clean as soon as I can.  
  
I take both Johanna and Felicity up into the ship, passing everyone on the top deck except Ebrahim, who I make eye contact with, exchanging a silent conversation to let him know he is free to follow. The four of us go below the deck, me going down first so I could lend a hand to the ladies. Felicity takes it with a smile and descends, but when I extend the same helping hand to Johanna, she snatches her own close to her chest, as if the mere idea of my aid insults her, and leaps down herself. There, I am painfully reminded of the fact that she is unaware that she is being rescued when she, completely unprompted, kicks me between the legs.  
  
Doubling over in pain, every foul word I’ve ever heard runs through my head, one or two escaping me. It doesn’t help that Johanna seems nowhere near being finished.  
  
“You should be ashamed of yourself!” she cries out, and I feel something hit the back of my head as I’m still bent over. Her voice is high pitched and she clearly believes to be making the stand of her life. “You are a terrible man for accepting money to deliver human cargo who are obviously taken against their will. You’re no better than a slaver and a pirate!”  
  
“Johanna-- ” Felicity calls, but she is ignored.  
  
“I don’t care what he does to me! I don’t care what any of these bastards do! There’s nothing left to take from me, and I just want to hit something!” I feel the muff again.  
  
Felicity manages to grab her. “Johanna, stop! Stop it, he’s not going to hurt you.”  
  
“Well, I want to hurt him!”  
  
“Stop it, Johanna. He’s not a sailor. This is my brother.”  
  
“What?” I hear fabric ruffle as she turns. “Henry Montague?”  
  
I groan and stand up, carefully protecting the still very painful area in case she might try anything again. “Miss Hoffman,” I manage. “My compliments to your cobbler. What are those shoes made of and from where exactly was it mined?” A bit of wit never hurt to soothe things over.  
  
“You’re… weren’t you…” Johanna’s eyes dart between Felicity and me, then, composing herself, she states, “I remember him taller.”  
  
Before I can reply, Felicity says, “You and him both.” My pride wounded, I make a sour face that I’m not sure either of them sees.  
  
“Oh. Well then.” She runs her hands along her dress. “I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you.”  
  
Not exactly the apology I was hoping for. “Not sorry for the kick?”  
  
“No, not particularly.” The last thing I need is two Felicitys on board to harass me.  
  
I hear footsteps, and Percy joins us belowdecks. As always when I see him, my heart flutters. Not wasting a single second, he embraces my sister tightly. "Felicity Montague, I’ve been sick over you."  
  
Extraordinarily, Felicity doesn’t even seem to mind the embrace. I surrender to the urge I’ve been holding back since I first saw her again, and wrap my arms around both of the most important people in my life. I press my head to Felicity’s and squeeze tighter. I take a deep breath, seemingly for the first time since my sister ran away from us in London. Taking in the moment, I feel eternally grateful that she is all right.  
  
If love has made me soft, I think that it’s a fine thing to be.

**Author's Note:**

> Check us out at:  
aesarctic.tumblr.com  
em-gray.tumblr.com


End file.
